Through strategic audience targeting and an integrated marketing campaign, Hello Kitty Night grew 10x in ticket sales from year one to year two.
Hello Kitty Ticket Special | Audience Targeting & Experiential Growth
Client/Employer: Seattle Mariners
To help fill a long MLB season with fresh demand, the Mariners developed a series of theme nights and group promotions designed to reach fans through personal passions outside of baseball. One of the most successful examples was Hello Kitty Night—a ticket special that started as a niche group offer and, within just a few seasons, grew into a ballpark-wide phenomenon.
Problem: With thousands of seats to sell throughout the season, traditional baseball marketing wasn’t always enough to generate interest—especially for non-marquee matchups. We needed ways to reach new audiences and create emotional relevance beyond team performance or standings.
Strategy: Developed a special ticket package that aligned with the global Hello Kitty fanbase by offering a custom giveaway item and exclusive seating section for fans who purchased through a dedicated link. Used this group’s shared interest in Hello Kitty—not just baseball—as a powerful signal for targeted content, audience development, and efficient paid media strategy.
Execution: We launched a limited-edition Hello Kitty Night Ticket Special which was promoted via organic social, paid social, email, and group sales efforts. Sales reached 250 tickets in year one and generated event content we could repurpose in the future. In the second year of the event, we expanded our strategy:
Dedicated landing page with clear purchase funnel and benefit messaging
Email marketing to previous buyers
Retargeting and lookalike audiences in paid social using past purchasers and Hello Kitty interest signals
Content-driven storytelling using real fan images from the first game to build excitement and provide social proof
Results: Ticket sales grew from 250 in the first season to 2,500 in the second, a tenfold increase. The combination of audience targeting, engaging content, and strategic paid support made Hello Kitty Night one of the fastest-growing group events in Mariners history. The event has continued to grow and, in 2025 (note: I was no longer with the Mariners at this time), the promotion has grown into a ballpark-wide giveaway.